Board Connector Housing Split Assembly to Protect Terminal Fittings
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Solution Overview
Problem
In connector devices with a metal case, the absence of a case lower lid leads to potential damage of terminal fittings during assembly, as the board connecting portions may interfere with the continuous opening edge, and the assembly process is complicated by the need for bolting from inside the case.
Innovation Solution
The connector device incorporates a case with an opening portion in the front surface and an open lower surface, featuring a board connector with L-shaped terminal fittings and a housing that includes a terminal holding member and a protecting member. The terminal holding member is mounted from behind, and the protecting member is mounted from the front to prevent interference and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the case lower lid is not provided to reduce weight, then the case weight is reduced, but the board connecting portions may interfere with the opening edge part and cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two separate parts: the terminal holding member that holds the terminal fittings, and the protecting member that protects the front end parts of the terminal fittings. This segmentation allows the protecting member to be mounted from the front to shield the terminal fittings during assembly, preventing damage from the opening edge part while maintaining the lightweight design without a case lower lid.
Solution Approach 2:
The protecting member acts as an intermediary component between the terminal fittings and the opening edge part. By being mounted from the front, it serves as a protective barrier that prevents direct contact between the vulnerable front end parts of the terminal fittings and the potentially damaging opening edge part during the assembly process.
2Ease of operation
If the board connector is inserted through the open part in the lower surface of the case, then assembly is simplified, but the case size must be enlarged to accommodate the board connector
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of inserting the board connector from the front through the opening portion (which would require large case dimensions), the terminal holding member is inserted from behind the case. This inverted assembly approach allows the board connector to be mounted without requiring excessive case volume, while still achieving simplified assembly through the open lower surface configuration.
3Ease of operation
If the board connector is inserted from the front through the opening portion, then assembly is straightforward, but the lower end parts of the board connecting portions may interfere with the opening edge part and be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting member is mounted from the front before the terminal holding member is inserted from behind. This preliminary action ensures that the front end parts of the terminal fittings are already protected by the protecting member when the assembly process begins, preventing damage during the subsequent insertion of the terminal holding member through the opening portion.
Data Source
AI summary
It is aimed to prevent the damage of terminal fittings. A connector device (A) is provided with a case formed with an opening portion in a front surface and having an open lower surface, and a board connector including L-shaped terminal fittings and a housing to be mounted into the opening portion. The terminal fitting includes a penetrating portion extending in a front-rear direction and a board connecting portion extending downward from a rear end of the penetrating portion and to be accommodated into the case. The housing includes a terminal holding member for holding the penetrating portions penetrating therethrough, the terminal holding member being mounted into the opening portion from behind, and a protecting member separate from the terminal holding member, the protecting member surrounding front end parts of the penetrating portions by being mounted into the opening portion from front.